By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights not just growth, but God's active prevention of loss, pointing to a divine stewardship that sustains prosperity. It’s more than just numbers going up; it’s about God actively safeguarding what He’s blessed from diminishing.
By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage shifts from descriptions of God rescuing people from various perils to His work in transforming lands and blessing communities. It follows scenes of travelers lost in the desert, captives, the sick, and sailors in a storm, all of whom cry out to God and are delivered. Now, the focus turns to how God blesses fertile lands, causing populations and livestock to flourish, which contrasts with instances of land turning barren.
Ever feel like you're just treading water, with little to show for your efforts? This verse points to a source of increase far beyond our own making.
The Psalmist declares that God's blessing is the direct cause of great multiplication. This isn't just about having more; it's about experiencing an overflowing abundance. Think of it as God actively fueling growth, making things flourish and expand. This blessing extends not only to people, multiplying greatly, but also to their resources, specifically their livestock. God ensures that what they have doesn't diminish but continues to thrive. It’s a picture of His active favor, ensuring prosperity and security.
It's one thing for things to multiply, but what about keeping what you have? This verse reveals God's commitment to sustaining what He blesses.
The second part of the verse, 'he does not let their livestock diminish,' speaks volumes about God's detailed care. It’s not just about bringing things into existence or causing them to grow; it's also about preservation. God actively prevents loss. In ancient Israel, livestock was a primary indicator of wealth and stability. For God to ensure they didn't decrease was a profound act of safeguarding their livelihood. This shows that God’s blessing isn't fleeting; it's sustained and protected.
Understand the original words
Ask a follow-up
berakah · Hebrew Noun
In the biblical context, the act of divine favor or empowerment bestowed by God upon His people, enabling them to thrive, prosper, and fulfill their purpose.
This psalm reflects on God's faithfulness in restoring His people from exile. Verse 38, in particular, speaks to the miraculous multiplication and prosperity that God brings to His people when they are restored to their land and living under His blessing, contrasting sharply with the desolation of exile.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
Following centuries of oppression, God's people are liberated from slavery in Egypt, marking a pivotal moment of deliverance and the beginning of their covenant relationship with God.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest and Division of Canaan
After 40 years in the wilderness, Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land, eventually dividing it among the twelve tribes, establishing them as a settled nation.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's reign, the united kingdom splits into two: the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah, leading to a period of political instability and spiritual decline.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling its inhabitants and marking the end of the ten northern tribes as a distinct entity.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonian Empire destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the majority of the Judean population. This event represents a profound crisis of faith and national identity.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile
Following the conquest of Babylon by Persia, Cyrus the Great issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple.
This passage describes Isaac prospering greatly in a famine-stricken land, directly mirroring the concept of God's blessing leading to multiplication and abundance, as seen in Psalm 107:38.
Leviticus 26:9This verse promises that God will 'make you fruitful and multiply you' and establish His covenant with those who keep His commandments, connecting divine blessing with increase, much like the prosperity of the people in Psalm 107.
Deuteronomy 7:13This passage explicitly states that God will 'love you, bless you, and multiply you,' promising increase in crops and livestock as a sign of His favor, reinforcing the theme of God's direct role in material prosperity found in Psalm 107:38.
Psalm 144:13This verse also speaks of abundant harvests and increasing livestock as a blessing from God, showing a consistent theme throughout the Psalms where fertility and the health of possessions are marks of divine favor.
Jeremiah 30:19This prophetic passage describes a future restoration where 'from them shall come thanksgiving, and the voice of merrymakers. I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will make them honored, and they shall not be despised,' echoing the idea of God's blessing leading to great multiplication and honor.
pulpitPsalms 107:38: "He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease."
Verse 38. - He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly. With in creasing prosperity comes increase of population, naturally - i.e. by God's ordinary providence. This increase is, however, only a blessing within certain limits. And suffereth not their cattle to decrease. This modest under-statement suggests an enormous increase (comp. Job 42:12).
calvinPsalms 107:33-41: "He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;"
- He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and springs of water into dryness; 34. A fruitful land into saltness, [287] because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it. 35. He turneth the desert into a pool of water, and the land of barrenness into springs of water. 36. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may build a city of habitation; 37. And sow fields, and plant vineyards, and eat t…
The verse highlights not just growth, but God's active prevention of loss, pointing to a divine stewardship that sustains prosperity. It’s more than just numbers going up; it’s about God actively safeguarding what He’s blessed from diminishing.
This passage shifts from descriptions of God rescuing people from various perils to His work in transforming lands and blessing communities. It follows scenes of travelers lost in the desert, captives, the sick, and sailors in a storm, all of whom cry out to God and are delivered. Now, the focus turns to how God blesses fertile lands, causing populations and livestock to flourish, which contrasts with instances of land turning barren.
This passage shifts from descriptions of God rescuing people from various perils to His work in transforming lands and blessing communities. It follows scenes of travelers lost in the desert, captives, the sick, and sailors in a storm, all of whom cry out to God and are delivered. Now, the focus turns to how God blesses fertile lands, causing populations and livestock to flourish, which contrasts with instances of land turning barren.
"By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish." — The verse highlights not just growth, but God's active prevention of loss, pointing to a divine stewardship that sustains prosperity. It’s more than just numbers going up; it’s about God actively saf…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026